The Riots of 1953 — Page 31
31 they had accepted the demands of the agitators and that instruc- tions had been issued to the Military and Police not to use vio- lence against them. It was also announced that a minister of the Provincial Government was being dispatched by air to Karachi in order that the Central Government may be persuaded to accede to the so-called demands. 38. This proclamation destroyed even that vestige of law and order which was already on the point of coll a psing and reign of terror was let loose against members of the Ahmadiyya Community residing in Lahore. On the morning of the 5th Master Manzur Ahmad, an Ahmadi residing in Baghbanpura, was stabbed to death. On the 6th Mistri Mohammad Shafi popularly known as Bur m awala was done to death in Ganj, Moghalpura, and Jamil Ahmad, son of Mistri Nazar Mohammad, a student of the Second Year Class of the T. I. Collage, Lahore, was stabbed inside Bhati Gate and murdered. Mirza Karim Beg another Ahmadi was stabbed on the Fleming Road and it is reported that whilst he was still alive he was put on top of some wooden furniture and burnt to death. On the night between the 6th and 7th an attack was made by a mob on the house of M. Abdul Hakim (proprietor of the Pioneer Electric and Battery Station McLeod Road) situated in Ganj, Moghalpura and his old mother was murdered. Friday the 6th March 1953 was a red-letter day in the history of Lahore. From early in the morning murderous attacks began to be made on Ahmadis to some of which reference has been made above and houses and shops belonging to Ahmadis were looted and set on fire. The furniture and belongings of about 43 houses and shops were reduced to ashes and property worth ove r 12 1/2 lakhs was destroyed. Prominent among those who suffered thus are Pak-Rays, and Shifa Medico near Chowk Gowalmandi on top of Nisbet Road, Orsuco on the Mall, opposite Lloyds Bank, M.